In 2013, the Palestinian Football Association (PFA), headed by Secretary of the Fatah Central Committee Jibril Rajoub, launched an unfounded attack against the Israeli Football Association (IFA) in FIFA. The PFA claimed that the IFA is in breach of FIFA's statutes since six of its registered clubs play in what the PFA refers to as "its territory."

[To] "refrain from imposing any sanctions or other measures on either the Israel FA or the Palestinian FA, as well as from requesting any other FIFA body to do so. The matter is declared closed..."

[FIFA Council statement, Oct. 27, 2017]

While not acting on Rajoub's complaint, FIFA's council also said it would not act against the PFA. The basis for acting against the PFA was Palestinian Media Watch's complaint to FIFA's Disciplinary Committee which provided evidence that the PFA and Rajoub were inciting terror, glorifying terrorists, and promoting racism and Antisemitism.

In response, Rajoub continues to use denigratory and discriminatory language, saying Israel has a "fascist governmental plan... that is typical of Nazism," in breach of section 58 of FIFA's Disciplinary Code. Two days after FIFA's decision, Rajoub said:

"This is a blatant violation when they [Israelis] organize an official [football] league on lands that are not Israeli lands. Even the Israel [Football] Association did not dare to claim: "These lands belong to us." The one [Israel] who brings in politics and makes sport political is the one who works according to a fascist governmental plan, a government that is typical of Nazism. We have rights, and we will continue to demand them at the FIFA court in accordance with all the laws and regulations, and also the laws of Switzerland where FIFA is located."

[Official PA TV News, Oct. 29, 2017]

PMW will be submitting another complaint to FIFA against Rajoub's new breach of FIFA's Disciplinary Code.

Later, Rajoub continued his offensive in a press conference held in the offices of the PFA. This time, Rajoub criticized FIFA for breaching its own rules and accused FIFA's president, Gianni Infantino, of stalling and avoiding the Palestinian complaint:

"We [stand] today before a real problem, which is connected to the latest FIFA decision - a decision that completely contradicts FIFA's laws and regulations...

FIFA is shirking its responsibility in the latest topic, and in recent years the new FIFA president [Gianni Infantino] has tried to stall and avoid this topic."

[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Oct. 30, 2017]

The following is a longer excerpt of the article in the official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida:

Headline: "Rajoub: FIFA's decision on the clubs from the settlements violates the laws of international sport; we will turn to the Court of Arbitration for Sports together with a team of lawyers and experts"

"[Fatah Central Committee Secretary and Chairman of the Palestinian Football Association] Jibril Rajoub held a press conference at the Palestinian Football Association headquarters conference hall in Al-Ram, in which he spoke about the FIFA decision and its duty to maintain neutrality regarding the clubs from the settlements Rajoub began his speech by saying that 'we [stand] today before a real problem, which is connected to the latest FIFA decision - a decision that completely contradicts FIFA's laws and regulations, and also contradicts the recommendations of the FIFA congress' appointed committee. This is contempt for the decisions of the [UN] Security Council...' Rajoub continued: 'FIFA is shirking its responsibility in the latest topic, and in recent years the new FIFA president has tried to stall and avoid this topic.'"

[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Oct. 30, 2017]

Rajoub made these comments following the FIFA Council's announcement on Oct. 27, 2017 that it had decided to reject the Palestinian Football Association's (PFA) request to sanction Israel. Since FIFA's Israel-Palestine Monitoring Committee was created to examine only the claims of the PFA against Israel, it would appear that while rejecting the Palestinian claim, FIFA's Council attributed considerable weight to the complaint submitted by Palestinian Media Watch against the PFA and its president Rajoub for glorifying and inciting terror, for racism and Antisemitism. FIFA therefore decided to "refrain from imposing any sanctions or other measures on either the Israel FA or the Palestinian FA, as well as from requesting any other FIFA body to do so. The matter is declared closed..." [FIFA Council statement, Oct. 27, 2017]

Rajoub also holds the following positions: Head of the PLO Supreme Council for Sport and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Palestine Olympic Committee, and Chairman of the Palestinian Scout Association (PSA).